The Most Scenic Train Ride in Europe

flammyrdalclear


The first time I went to Norway during the month of October with my parents, we flew straight to Oslo. After checking in at the very elegant Continental hotel we sat down and started studying the places we will be visiting. I suddenly came across an item in the hotel’s tourist book, which mentioned that the most scenic rail route in Europe is the train ride from Oslo to Bergen with a detour to Flam, Gundvangen, Stalheim and Voss and that the trip has an opportunity for a relaxing Fjords tour.

Early the following day, we took the train from the Oslo Central Station. The train ride from Oslo to Bergen is a 300-mile length of track, passing through 200 tunnels and 18 miles of snow sheds in addition to crossing more than 300 bridges.


After only half an hour of travel I noticed that the whole surrounding was already covered with snow. Our first stop was Finse, the highest elevation (4,267 ft.) above sea level of the entire Oslo-Bergen line. In Finse, workers were stationed permanently to remove the snow on the tracks nine months each year and repair the snow sheds between Oslo and Finse. The scenery changes from ice glaciers, ski resorts, waterfalls and fast gushing rivers.

Our next stop was at Myrdal where we had to transfer to another train, the famous “Flam Line” for a twelve and a half mile travel which gave us a most breathtaking view of nature at its best. The train journey from Myrdal to Flam is a railway experience unparalleled in Europe. The journey from Myrdal to Flam took about 45 minutes, and the train traveled slowly and even stopped at the most scenic spots to ensure that we experienced the full impact of glorious nature.


The railways had the greatest incline of any Norwegian track at 5.5 degrees in one stretch. This line is really a masterpiece in engineering I would say. The descent is so steep that the train takes a longer time to go downhill than it does to go up. It had five different braking systems, anyone of which is enough to stop the train.

Along one stretch, the mountainside is so steep that the train has to go through reverse tunnels and the track in one particular half mile run goes on five different levels. When we reached the finest scenic spot, the train proceeded slowly then stopped in order for us to have the best view of the magnificent scenery.

We passed a total of 21 hairpin bends. In two places, the train stopped for several minutes so we can get off and walk closer to an enormous raging waterfall that cascaded close to the train. The force of the gushing water is such music to hear and admire. This is such a great photo spot that everyone just had to get out and capture the postcard pretty scenery.

We then proceeded down and stopped at Flam to take lunch. Temperature here was below 11 degrees centigrade. Flåm lies in a sheltered position at the end of the Aurland Fjord. This arm of the Sognefjord penetrates inland 200km and is thus Norway's longest. The climate here is warm and pleasant, as can be seen by the many orchards After lunch and a brief rest, we boarded a fjord boat on Sognefjord, for a most relaxing and beautiful fjords cruise along the unspoiled coastal mountains. The Sognefjord is the longest and deepest fjord in Norway – a gigantic chasm that goes through 180 kilometers into the country and plunges to the awesome depth of 1300 meters. The cruise ended in Gundvangen where we took a bus to Voss via the famous Stalheim mountain resort.

In Voss, we transferred to another train that brought us to Bergen. Bergen is another beautiful tourist attraction, the cultural center of Norway.

St. Gilgen

St Gilgen

St. Gilgen is a leading lakeside resort just outside Salzburg and lying at the edge of Wolfgangsee. It is also the birthplace of Mozart's mother, Anna and where his sister Nanerl settled after her marriage to a baron.

Photo above is the Rathaus or Townhall. Right beside it are the houses of the Mozart's mother and sister and a few meters away is the peaceful lake of the town. Some of the Sound of Music lake scenes were also taken in this place.

St. Gilgen today is the playground for the city's new aristocracy: the fashionable and wealthy who maintain mountain villas here

Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

Built in 1961, the Berlin Wall is the single most important symbol of Germany's former division. We were fortunate to still have seen the wall two years before it was torn down in 1989.

The Berlin Wall was a long barrier separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the surrounding territory of East Germany. Its intent was to restrict access between West Berlin and East Germany.

During the Wall's existence there were around 5,000 successful escapes into West Berlin; 192 people were killed trying to cross and around 200 were seriously injured. Early successful escapes involved people jumping the initial barbed wire or leaping out of apartment windows along the line. These quickly ended.

Other successful escape attempts included 57 people who escaped through a 145 metre long (475 feet) tunnel dug by West Berliners, on October 3, 4 and 5, 1964; and two escapes made by sliding along aerial runways (one by two men, one by a family). One man drove a very low sports car underneath a barricade. One of the last escapes occurred when two men flew fixed wing ultralights across the Wall to rescue their brother.

The most notorious failed attempt was by Peter Fechter who was shot and left to bleed to death in full view of the western media, on August 17, 1962. The last person to be shot trying to cross the border was Chris Gueffroy on February 6, 1989.

Lower left photo shows cross markers where bodies of people who have unsuccessfully escaped were buried.

Photo above right, is the Brandenburg gate. The Brandenburg Gate is a triumphal arch (a structure in the shape of a monumental gate, usually built to celebrate a victory in war), the symbol of Berlin, Germany. Located on the Pariser Platz, it is the only remaining one of the series of gates through which one entered Berlin.

Capernaum

Synagogue, Capernaum

Capernaum is located 2.5 miles from where the Jordan enters the Sea of Galilee. It was a customs station on the way to Damascus and the residence of high Roman officer.

As Jesus was not understood in Nazareth, and first attempt on HIs life was made here, He turned his back on his city went to Caparneum and made it His second native city.

Capernamum then became the centre of His activities for about 20 months. Here Jesus preached to the people and manifested His goodness and omnipotence by by many miracles.

Capernaum is the home of St. Peter. Hesus taught here in the synagogue (shown in the photo), delivered a man of an unclean spirit and healed Peter's mother-in-law. Here, He also healed the centurion's servant and the palsied man when he was let down through the roof, raised Jarius' daughter from the dead, healed the woman who had an issue of blood, as well as two blind men, and the son of a noblemen, and multitude of others.

Jesus cursed the city of Capernaum for being ungrateful. Today it is no more than a heap of rubble beside the lake shore. One important edifice left is the now famous Capernaum synagogue.

Sukkienice, Crakow (Poland)

Sukkienice, Cracow

The Cloth Hall
Sukiennice

The Main Market Square is dominated by the great Cloth Hall at its centre.

Originally designed in the 13th century during the reign of Prince Boleslaw the Bashful. At first they were simply stone shops with lanes in between.

In the 14th century, during the reign of King Casimir the Great the Cloth Hall was rebuilt. A stone building with a Gothic roof was erected. The entrance to this led to arcades built from bricks which remain unchanged to the present day.

Star of Bethlehem

nativity

It is believed that Jesus was born on this spot where a symbolic star is now placed. This can be found right under the altar in the Church of Annunciation but on the Greek Orthodox part of the complex. One has to go down the basement of the Church main altar to visit and kiss the star.

The Catholic Church is located on another building.

Vigeland Park, Oslo

Vigeland Park


Vigeland is a Sculpture park in Oslo, Norway with statues made by Gustav Vigeland, depicting all phases of life.

The park contains 192 sculptures with more than 600 figures, all modeled in full size by Vigeland.

This was the first time I visited Norway with my parents and the two barkadas of mom. It was autumn then and the trees were starting to shed their leaves.

The Alhambra

Alhambra

The Alhambra is a walled city and fortress in Granada, Spain. It was built during the last Islamic sultanate on the Iberian peninsula, the Nasrid Dynasty (1238-1492). The palace is lavishly decorated with stone and wood carvings and tile patterns on most of the ceilings, walls, and floors. Islamic art does not use representations of living beings, but heavily uses geometric patterns, especially symmetric (repeating) patterns.

The name Alhambra comes from an Arabic root which means "red or crimson castle", perhaps due to the hue of the towers and walls that surround the entire hill of La Sabica which by starlight is silver but by sunlight is transformed into gold.

But there is another more poetic version, evoked by the Moslem analysts who speak of the construction of the Alhambra fortress "by the light of torches", the reflections of which gave the walls their particular coloration. Created originally for military purposes, the Alhambra was an alcazaba (fortress), an alcázar (palace) and a small medina (city), all in one. This triple character helps to explain many distinctive features of the monument.

Vaduz, Lichtenstein

Vaduz

Vaduz is the capital of the tiny principality of Liechtenstein.


Vaduz Castle, the most prominent landmark of the town, is the residence of the Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. The former farming town, known mainly for its excellent wine, has become a location for internationally recognized industry and trade, banks, and various service enterprises and many shopping opportunities.

The castle can be seen atop the hill.

Generalife Gardens, Granada

Generalife Gardens

The Generalife Gardens surround the beautiful Casas Reales in the Alhambra complex in Granada, southern Spain.

The meaning of Generalife, "the garden of lofty paradise," certainly fits the wonderful orchards, pastures, and flower beds. In the 13th century, the Generalife served as the country estate of the Nasrid kings. Here, the kings would escape to enjoy themselves high above the city (closer to the heavens). One feature that was particularly intriguing in the gardens was the system of running water. From the Escalera del Agua, leading to the highest point of the gardens, there is a small stream of water that flows down to the remainder of the gardens.

The sight of these gardens are truly refreshing.

Plaza de España, Sevilla

Sevilla Plaza Mayor

An impressive work of Seville's best known modernist style architect, Hannibal Gonzalez, the plaza was made for the "Ibero-American Exposition 1929" and is located in the center of "Maria-Luisa-Park", forming a semi-circle around an artificial lake.

The two highly individual towers at its both extremes and the great ceramic ornaments which symbolize the provinces of Spain make it one of the most characteristical buildings in town.

Incidentally, Seville is the home of the legendary 'Don Juan'.

It was my birthday when we went around the city. Would like to go back to this place again. Its my favorite among the various cities in southern spain which I visited. We stayed a couple of days but then most of those days were spent going around the World Expo held that year in this city.

Pergammon Museum, East Berlin

Pergamonn

The Pergamon Museum is one of the museums on the Museum Island in Berlin. Its one of the best museums I have seen in all my travels.

It took 10 years to build this edifice and houses original-sized, reconstructed monumental buildings such as the Pergamon Altar (photo above), the Market Gate of Miletus, and the Ishtar Gate, all consisting of parts transported from the original excavation sites.

All those gigantic antique excavacations will surely leave your awed and breathless, specially the humongous Ishtar gate.

Auschwitz, Poland

Auswitz

All over the world, Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. It was established by the Nazis in 1940, in the suburbs of the city of Oswiecim which, like other parts of Poland, was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War. The name of the city of Oswiecim was changed to Auschwitz, which became the name of the camp as well.

I think I saw in some of my readings and even on TV that some people affiliated with the Nazi were even denying the existence of these camps.

Over the following years, the camp was expanded and consisted of three main parts: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III-Monowitz. It also had over 40 sub-camps.

At first, Poles were imprisoned and died in the camp. Afterwards, Soviet prisoners of war, Gypsies, and prisoners of other nationalities were also incarcerated there. Beginning in 1942, the camp became the site of the greatest mass murder in the history of humanity, which was committed against the European Jews as part of Hitler's plan for the complete destruction of that people.

The majority of the Jewish men, women and children deported to Auschwitz were sent to their deaths in the Birkenau gas chambers immediately after arrival. At the end of the war, in an effort to remove the traces of the crimes they had committed, the SS began dismantling and razing the gas chambers, crematoria, and other buildings, as well as burning documents.

The old man in the photo above was our guide who was actually a survivor of the gas chamber murders. He lived to tell the visitors the horrible tales done by the Nazis to the Jews.

Mt of Olives